Toy



C. AYALA July 11, 1961 TOY Filed Dec. 6, 1957 Filed Dec. 6, 1957, Ser. No. 701,123 11 Claims. (Cl. 46-174) The present invention relates generally to a toy, and more particularly to a toy which simulates an explosion.

One activity which seems to have a compelling interest to most children is the production of a noise. However, most of the toys known in the past which produce loud noises, such as fire works, caps, carbide cannons, blank cartridges, etc., have also been quite dangerous to handle and use.

Accordingly, the principal objects of the present invention are the provision of a toy for producing an explosive noise, and the provision of such a toy which may be easily and safely operated by a child.

A further object of this invention is the provision of a toy of the type described which is inexpensive in cost and yet is of durable construction so as to provide for long use.

An additional object of this invention is the provision of a toy of the type described in a form which is attractive to children.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a toy of the type described which may resemble an explo sive device or charge and which may be operable in con nection with a simulated detonator box. I

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become known by reference to the following description and accompanying drawings of several preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is aperspective view, partially broken away, of a toy embodying various of the features of the invention; I

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 2--2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 1; and I FIGURE 5 is a partial cross-sectional view, similar to FIGURE 4, illustrating another embodiment of a noise producing toy including certain other of the features of the invention. I I I I A toy embodying the features of this invention may be constructed in various ways and may take many difierent forms and shapes. FIGURE 1 is illustrative of one selected embodiment of the present invention. The toy shown in FIGURE 1 has the fanciful appearancejof a detonator box 11 and an explosive device 1-3'which are connected together by a pair of conduits l7 simulating a pair of electrical conductors. The working mechanism of the toy includes a source of pressure air 1 connected through the conduits 17 to an air chamber 19 having an ejectable member or wall 21. The ejectable member 21 is adapted to be suddenly displaced from the chamber 19 as a result of an increase in air pressure within the chamber induced by the source of pressure air 14. The sudden release of higher pressure air which accompanies" the sudden displacement of the member 21 produces aloud explosive clap or noise.

Although various means for the provision of a source of pressure air 14 may be employed, the source of pres sure air in the illustrated embodiment is an" air pump which may be of the well known plunger or piston type as illustrated. The air pump 15 comprisesa rigid c'ylindrical body section 23, and apistonziwhich is operable States within the cylindrical body 23. The body section 23' 2 is provided at the bottom with an exhaust fitting 27 includes a suitable check valve 29 for the purpose of pre venting the flow of air back through the exhaust fitting 27 into the pump on the upward stroke of the piston 25 while allowing passage of the compressed air from the cylinder on the downward stroke of the plunger.

Connected to the piston 25 is a piston rod 35 which extends through the end of the cylinder to a cross member or handle 39. I I

The air pump 15 may be enclosed and suitably secured in a variety of fanciful shapes and forms which are ap pealing to children. In this case, the air pump 15 is substantially enclosed within a simulated generally rectangular detonator box 11. I The detonator box 11 may be constructed of a variety of materials, including wood, plastic, or metal. Of course, the top of the simulated detonator box 11 is provided with a hole 41 through which the pump 15 isoperable. The realistic appearance of the simulated detonator box 11 may be heightened by the provision of a pair of simulated electrical terminals 43, as shown, each of which is provided with a nipple 51 adapted to receive one of the conduits 17. In this con nection, each of the terminals is hollow and ,communi cates through a Y connection 45 and a tube 47 as illustrated, to the exhaust fitting 27 of the air pump '15.

The air chamber 19 may also be constructed in various ways and may take a number of different fanciful forms and shapes which will be appealing to children. In the preferred embodiment illustrated, the air chamber 19 is comprised of a base section 57 and an ejectable member 21, as may be clearly seen in FIGURES l and4'.

As has been noted, the shape and form of the air cham{ ber may be varied, however, it is desirable to keep, in mind the principle of operation of the toy when designing the chamber. It has been determined that for the most operative noise producing effect that the volume of the chamber 19 should be relatively constant under the varying air pressures during use and also that the noise making ability of the toy is enhanced if the wall 21 is quite suddenly ejected. Of course, even if theseteachings are not completely followed an adequate noise will beproduced but the noise producing ability is greatly enhanc ed if these factors are taken into consideration during the construction of the toy. Accordingly, in the illustrated embodiment, the ejectable wall 21 is fabricated in a shape and from a material which will not bulge appreciably and therefor produce an increase in volume of the air chamber, when under increased air pressure. In order to resist the tendency to enlarge or to bulge under increased air pressure, the ejectablemember 21 is conveniently shaped in the form of a dome, and is prefera bly formed from a relatively inelastic material. While the member 21 may be formed from a variety of inelas tic materials, it is also preferable that the material be de -i formable to aid in the assembly of the member 21 to the base 57 and that the material have a smooth surface ten: ture to assist in forming a substantially air tight seal with the base 57. A suitable material for the ejectable meniber 3241 may be molded polyethylene or similar plastic material. I

The ejectablemember 21 is provided about theba'se of the dome with an outward extending peripheral flange 59 which cooperates. with the base 57, aswill hereinafter. be described, to lock the ejectable wall 21. in thebase 57 and to form an air tight seal between the wall 21 and the base 57. v

The bottom or base section 57 of the air chamber 19 is designed to receive the eje'ctable member 21 and to minimize the enclosed volume of the air chamber19 in order to decrease the amount of air' required to sufiiciehtly increase the air pressure to'displace the ejectableriieni ber 21. Thebouom of the baseseetion 57 in the illustrated embodiment is generally circular in outline and is provided with a dome shaped central portion 61 adapted to minimize the enclosed volume of the air chamber 19. An inwardly extending lip- 63 is provided around the circumference of the base 57 for cooperation with the flange 59of the ejectable member 21. The construction of the lip 63 is such that it forms a circumferential recess 65 adjacent the under surface of the lip 63. The lip 63 is generally concentric with the central dome portion Y61, and is spaced a sufi'icient distance therefrom to allow the flange 59 of the ejectable member 21 to be inserted within the recess 65 by partially collapsing the dome shaped member 21. In this fashion, the flange 59 is seated against theunder surface of the lip 63 to form an air tight seal.

While the above construction includes the use of a mating flange and lip, it should be understood that the ejectable wall.21 may be connected to the base 57 to form an air tight seal in a variety of ways.

In order to provide an airconnection to the air chamber 19, a pair of hollow tubes or nipples 71 are provided which communicate with the interior of the chamber and extend outwardly of the base 57 for receiving the conduits 17 which, in the illustrated toy, take the form of a pair of simulated electrical conductors. The nipples 71 are fixed in position so as to effectuate an air tight seal between the nipples and the base.

Of course, the inner diameter of the ends of the conduit is preferably slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the nipples 51 and 71 so that when the tubing is forcibly slipped over the extended nipples an air tight seal will result.

The base section 57 may be constructed from various materials but is preferably formed from a material such as a substantially rigid plastic which will resist deformation and which may be provided with a seal for the membet-.21.

' As has been pointed out, the air pump in the detonator box 11 is connected to the air chamber 19 in the explosive device 13 through a pair of conduits 17 in order to obtain the effect of simulated electrical lead wires. The conduits are preferably of flexible tubing although other means may be employed. The use of flexible tubing is particularly desirable, because it may be fabricated to simulate electrical lead wires. Of course, if desired, the toy can be constructed with a single conduit connecting the pump 14 and the air chamber 19.

. When the ejectable member 21 of the simulated explosive device 13 is placed within the base 57 and when the simulated explosive device '13 is properly connected through the simulated electrical leads to the simulated detonator box 11, the operation of the toy to produce an explosive noise is quite simple. B-y pushing the rod 35 into the detonator box 11, as every youngster has seen on television or in the movies, the air in the body section of the air pump 15 is forced through the conduits to the simulated explosive device 13. The resulting build-up of air pressure within the explosive device 13 causes the deformable peripheral flange 59 to suddenly break the mechanical connection between the lip 63 and the member 21 and causes the member 21 to be suddenly ejected from the base 57 with an explosive noise resulting from the sudden release of the higher pressure air. The toy may be made ready for use again by simply reinserting the ejectable member 21 into the base section 57.

It is desirable to proportion the volume of the body section 23 of the air pump 15 with respect to the volume of the air chamber 19 enclosed between the base section 57 and the member 21 so that one stroke of the plunger is sufiicient to increase the pressure in the air chamber 19 to expel the member 21. However, these volumes may be proportioned if desired so as to require more than one stroke of the plunger to effectuate discharge of the member 21 from the base 57.

A toyof the type described may be easily and efiec- 4 tively modified to resemble a time delay bomb or land mine. In this connection, the simulated explosive device may be constructed so as to be detachable from the ptnnp and conduits after it has been charged with higher pressure air. The explosive'device can then be placed wherever desired and after a lapse of time, the charge will explode by expelling the top and simultaneously producing an explosive noise.

The air chamber 19 may be, modified in various different ways so as to be capable of action as a delayed time bomb or land mine. The time delay efiect may be secured by providing the under surface of the ejectable member 21 with a suction cup 75, as shown in FIGURE 5, which is adapted for suction engagement with the central dome shaped section 61 of the base 57. The suction engagement between the ejectable member 21 and the base section 57 will prevent the immediate displacement of the top from the base when an air pressure is reached in the chamber which is normally sufficient to cause explosion of the toy. Subsequently, however, due to the outward directed force of the air pressure on the ejectable member 21, and the lapse of time, the suction engagement will weaken and will break. When this occurs the member 21 will be suddenly expelled with an accompanying explosive noise. As can now be readily seen, the time delay effect is produced by the time elapsing during the period in which the suction engagement is weakening prior to its breaking, and the resulting explosion."

The suction cup 75 may be secured to the top section in a variety of ways, and in this selected embodiment, as shown in FIGURE 5, it is secured by screwing into a boss 77 provided on the underside of the ejectable member 21. The suction cup 75 is of a rubber-like material and is located and shaped so as to cooperate with the form of the underlying surface of the base section 57.

In order to allow for the removal of the explosive device 13 from the connecting conduits 17 and the detonator box 11, suitable means are provided for detaching the conduits 17 and for preventing the escape of the higher pressure air from the air chamber 19. Various constructions may be employed to accomplish this effect.

For example, each of the nipples 71 in the base section 57 may be threaded, as illustrated, and the cooperating end of each of the conduits 17 may be provided with an internally threaded female sleeve, such as shown at 79. Each of the nipples 71 may also be modified to include a valve 81, such as a simple petcock, which is operable to maintain the high pressure air within the air chamber.

Another method of providing the desired detachability of the conduits 17 with respect to the air chamber 19, and at the same time, of providing a valve to seal the air chamber, is to include in the base section a needle type valve such as is commonly employed in a basketball or a football, and to provide the end of the conduit 17 with a cooperating needle.

Operation of the disclosed toy in the time delay fashion is also very simple and capable of operation by a young child. The various parts should first all be interconnected, with particular attention being paid to see that the suction cup 75 is properly positioned against the base 57 to provide suction engagement. The pump 15 should then be employed to increase the air pressure in the air chamber 19 to a point above that which would normally result in explosion but below that which would eject the wall 21 regardless of the suction engagement of the suction cup 75 and the base 57. The valves 81 in the nipples 71 should then be closed and the conduits 17 detached. The explosive device may then be positioned as desired. Shortly thereafter, the explosion" will occur. The top will be expelled and an accompanying explosive noise will be produced.

A toy of the described type, operated either with the simulated detonator box to explode the simulated explosive device or as a time delay bomb, is very appealing to children.

It should be understood that various other additional changes and modifications may be made in the disclosed construction without departing from the scope of the invention which is to be determined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A toy for producing a. simulated explosion, said toy comprising means defining a substantially rigid air chamber having one wall formed with an opening therein and an ejectable member in said opening, said member having deformable means of larger cross section than said opening, said deformable means extending within said opening in engaging relation with the inner surface of said one wall to provide an air tight seal between said member and said air chamber, whereby when said air chamber is provided with pressure air, said member will be ejected with a loud noise.

2. A toy for producing a simulated explosion, said toy comprising means defining a substantially rigid air chamber having an opening therein and an ejectable member in said opening, said member including deformable means extending from the periphery of said member and proportioned to engage with said air chamber for pro viding an air seal and a mechanical connection between said member and said air chamber, whereby when said air chamber is provided with pressure air, said seal and said connection between said peripheral deformable means and said air chamber are broken to thereby afford ejectment of said member from said air chamber by the pressure air and to thereby produce a loud noise occurring incident to the release of the pressure air.

3. A toy for producing a simulated explosion, said toy comprising means defining a substantially rigid air chamber having an opening therein and means defining an ejectable member adapted to be disposed in said opening, and an interlock between said air-chamber-defining-means and said ejectable-member-defininingmeans including a flange on one of said means and a coacting lip on the other of said means, said interlock being deformable and providing an air seal and a mechanical connection between said member and said air chamber, a piston type air pump having a piston and a cylinder, conduit means connecting said air pump to said chamber, the volume of said cylinder and the volume of said chamber being such that one stroke of said piston provides sufficient air pressure to deform said interlock, said interlock will release said member from said chamber and said member will be ejected with a loud noise.

4. A toy for producing a simulated explosion, said toy comprising means defining a substantially rigid air chamber having a circular opening therein and a wall opposite said opening which is convex and extends towards said opening and means defining an ejectable member adapted to be disposed in said opening, said ejectable member being deformable and being of dome shape, a deformable flange around the periphery of said dome, said flange being proportioned to fit into and out of said opening when deformed and to provide an air seal for said opening and a mechanical connection between said member and said air-chamber-defining-means when positioned within said opening, a piston type air pump having a piston and a cylinder, conduit means connecting said air pump to said chamber, the volume of said cylinder and the volume of said chamber being such that one stroke of said piston provides sufficient air pressure to deform said flange so that said member is released from said chamber and will be ejected with a loud noise.

5. A toy for producing a simulated explosion, said toy comprising means defining a substantially rigid air chamber having a circular opening therein and an ejectable member disposed in said opening, said ejectable member including a deformable flange around its periphery, said flange being proportioned to fit into and out of said opening when deformed but to provide an air seal for said opening and a mechanical connection between said member and said air-chamber-defining-means, a suction cup connected between said member and said chamber defining means whereby when said air chamber is provided with pressure air of sufficient magnitude to deform said flange, but less than that required to overcome the action of said suction cup said member is held in place until the pressure in said suction cup becomes equalized whereupon said member will be released from said chamber and will be ejected with a loud noise.

6. A toy for producing a simulated explosion, said toy comprising means defining a substantially rigid air chamber having an opening therein and an ejectable member disposed in said opening, said ejectable member including a deformable flange around its periphery, said flange being proportioned to fit into and out of said opening when deformed and to provide an air seal and a mechanical connection between said member and said air-chamber-defining-means, a suction cup connected between said member and said chamber defining means, a source of pressure air, conduit means detachably connecting said air chamber and said source of pressure air, said air chamber having means for detachably receiving said conduit means, said receiving means including valve means operable to prevent escape of pressure air from said chamber through said conduit receiving means whereby after said air chamber is provided with pressure air of sufiicient magnitude to deform. said flange, but less than that required to overcome the action of said suction cup, and when said valve means in said air chamber is closed and said conduits disengaged, saidair chamberand said engaged ejectable member can be situated at a new loca tion for the subsequent production of a simulated explosion when the pressures acting on said suction cup become equalized whereupon said member will be ejected from said chamber with a loud noise.

7. A toy comprising means defining an element constituting a substantially rigid air chamber having one wall thereof with an opening therein, means defining a second element constituting an ejectable member disposed in said opening, said rigid air chamber element and said ejectable member element being formed to provide a mechanical connection and an air-tight seal by the sole means of a deformable flange on one of said elements and a rigid coacting lip on the other of said elements, and means permitting the introduction within said air chamber of pressure air, whereby, when a sufficient magnitude of pressure air is introduced Within said air chamber, said ifiauge is deformed to permit its passage through said opening and accompanying ejection of said member outwardly of said air chamber with the production of a loud report which results incident to the release of the pressure air.

8. A toy comprising means defining an element constituting a substantially rigid air chamber having one wall thereof with an opening therein, means defining a second element constituting an ejectable member disposed in said opening, said rigid air chamber element and said ejectable member element being formed to provide a mechanical connection and an air-tight seal by the sole means of a deformable flange on one of said elements and a rigid coacting lip on the other of said elements, and means for providing pressure air of sufiicient magnitude avithin said air chamber to effect deformation of said flange to permit its passage through said opening and the accompanying ejection of said member outwardly of said air chamber whereby incident to the release of said pressure air there is produced a loud report.

9. A toy comprising means defining a substantially rigid air chamber including one wall having therein a circular opening defining a lip, means defining an ejectable member disposed in said opening, said ejectable memassets;

her including an integrally extending flange proportioned to coact with said lip so as to provide in and of themselves a mechanical connection and an air seal between said member and said air chamber, said flange being deformable to permit its passage through said opening, and means permitting the introduction within said air chamber of pressure air, whereby, when a sufiicient magnitude of pressure air is introduced within said air chamber, said flange is deformed to permit its passage through said opening and accompanying ejection of said member outwardly of said air chamber with the production of a loud report which results incident to the release of the pressure air.

10. A toy comprising means defining a substantially rigid air chamber including one wall having therein a circular opening defining a lip, means defining an ejectable member disposed in said opening, said ejectable member being of dome shape and including a flange extending integrally around the basal periphery of said dome, said flange being proportioned to coact with said lip so as to provide in and of themselves a mechanical connection and an air seal between said member and said air chamber, said flange being deformable to permit its passage through said opening, and means permitting the introduction within said air chamber of pressure air, whereby when a sufficient magnitude of pressure air is introduced within said air chamber, said flange is deformed to permit its passage through said opening and accompanying ejection of said member outwardly of said air chamber with the production of a loud report which results incident to the release of the pressure air.

11. A toy comprising means defining a substantially rigid air chamber having one wall with a circular opening therein defining a lip and a second wall opposite said first wall which is eonvexly disposed through said operling in spaced relation to the perimeter of said opening, means defining a dome shaped ejectable member including a fiange extending integrally around the base of the dome, said ejeetable member being disposed in said opening with said flange coacting with the inner surface of said one wall to provide in and of themselves a me-' chanical connection and an air seal between said memher and said air chamber, said flange being deformable to permit its passage through said opening, an air pump, and means connecting said air pump to said chamber, whereby when a sufiicient magnitude of pressure air is introduced within said air chamber, said flange is deformed to permit its passage trough said opening and accompanying ejection of said member outwardly of said air chamber with the production of a loud report which results incident to the release of the pressure air.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 560,570 Burns May 19, 1896 1,260,013 Neats Mar. 19, 1918 1,379,492 Wagner May 24, 1921 1,567,973 Mendelson Dec. 29, 1925; 2,664,077 7 Moore Dec. 29, 1953 2,665,676 Mobley Jan. 12, 1954 2,733,699 Krinsky Feb. 7, 1956 2,762,356 Foster Sept. 11, 1956 2,853,991 McLain Sept. 30, 1958 2,856,911 Maxwell Oct. 21, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 155,887 Germany Nov. 3, 1904 

